Visiting Disney World Without Kids: Reasons to Consider It

Disney World, or the “happiest place on Earth,” is where my husband and I decided to go for our (late, late) honeymoon. We hadn’t been there since we were young children, and given the short amount of time we had, we needed to go somewhere that was within close reach and didn’t require a ton of advance planning. With excellent military discounts, lodging and meals covered in our plan, Disney fit the bill perfectly. We did wonder, though, what it would be like to go to Disney World without kids. Would it seem corny to us as adults? Would we be the odd ones out among all the happy families? We ended up being glad that we made the trip before we had children. Read on to find out why Disney without kids is something you should consider!

1. You’ll have plenty of time to learn how to navigate the parks.

The Disney parks seem to stretch on forever and ever. It can be overwhelming juggling maps, FastPass times, blog recommendations for the most popular rides, and meal reservations. To a newbie, “winging it” instead of planning efficiently could leave you exhausted, as you could be making loops around and around the park. Fortunately, we had plenty of time to plan what we wanted to do and when. We made use of our time in the morning before we left and at night when we got back to the resort, as well as during our mealtimes. We managed to break down each park by which section we wanted to visit first, and eliminated any rides we weren’t interested in going on (sorry, Dumbo). If we had children with us, I don’t know if we would have been able to devote as much time to making a solid plan. If you do visit later on with your children, you’ll be more familiar with the lay of the land.

2. You can go at your own pace.

It’s amazing how much can change in twenty-something years. So many new rides (Seven Dwarves Mine Train!), restaurants (Be Our Guest!), and cool new things to see! Hubby and I were able to beeline to the most popular rides first thing in the morning, explore every corner of the parks, and make all of our FastPass and restaurant times. We guiltlessly skipped meet-and-greets with long wait times and expensive souvenir shops and snack stands. We allowed ourselves to be selfish. Our biggest priority was simply enjoying each other’s company. If you have extra time, you are also free to spend it anywhere you choose. For us, our favorite park was Epcot. International food, cool architecture, the most unique gift shops, not to mention alcohol! How did I not appreciate this place when I was younger?

3. You can go on (almost) all of the best rides.

We made sure to FastPass all of the most popular rides, especially the thrill rides. We missed only a couple of top-tier rides where we could not get a FastPass for the day. Hubby is an adrenaline junkie, while I’ve always been more of a chicken. I don’t think I would have worked up the nerve to get on the big roller coasters without his moral support. I’m glad I did though – the rides all ended up being super fun! But it made me wonder how families with small children do it. Do you take shifts with the kids and ride separately? Do you work out ahead of time who’s going to go on Space Mountain and who’s going to be wrangling the little ones? I loved that I got to experience all of the rides alongside my hubby.

4. You can stay up late.

Most of the parks have late hours (called Extra Magic Hours) some time during the week, staying open as late as 1:00 AM. After around 9:00 PM the crowds start to thin out as parents roll away their passed-out children for the night. This was one of our favorite times to be in the parks. The smaller crowds made it much easier to get around. If you want another turn or two on your favorite ride, late at night is the time to go. The lines are significantly shorter. The parks also completely transform after dark with beautifully done lighting effects. If you need to schedule a late dinner as well, you’re free to do that too. (Just know that Animal Kingdom does not have late hours because of the animals’ schedules).

5. There’s less stuff to carry.

I did not envy the parents lugging around strollers, diaper bags, tote bags, and little ones too tired to walk. We fit everything we needed for the day in one backpack and were able to move around pretty quickly. As someone who tries to pack minimally I savor these moments where we can get by with so little. Who knows how that’s going to change when our baby arrives in a couple months!

But one reason why we wish we had kids with us…

It’s a little less magical when you’re a grown up. No, really! I remember shaking with excitement as a little kid, wearing my Snow White costume, as I got ready to meet all of my favorite characters. During this trip we did a couple of fun meet-and-greets, but the disillusioned adults in us knew that the characters were regular (super-talented, good looking) grown ups who took their costumes off at the end of the day and went back to real life. And how could the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique not take adult clients? I was so envious of the cuties running around the park in princess dresses with glitter in their hair. The magic is real for the little ones, which is why I can’t wait to take my kids one day!

What do you think?

Would you do a couple’s trip to Disney World? I’d love to hear your insights in the comments below. If you liked this article, make sure to share on your favorite social media networks!

Until next time,

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We went there when our little one was only 9 month old, so we left her at home. We glad that we did, still felt all of the magic and knew that she just wouldn’t enjoy it and wouldn’t let us enjoy it as much. We did end up taking her to downtown Disney for a bit of magic :D.

When she was 4, we focused on her and let her pick all of the rides and attractions (we felt like we already had our fun time alone and this was her special, magical experience).

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meet kimba

Welcome, dear reader! I'm a creative-minded new mom always on the lookout for my next adventure. Here you'll find stories and articles about travel, motherhood, DIY crafts, and making a home. Stay a while and find the inspiration to start living your adventure.